| On a spit of land
at the confluence of the Bosphorus, the olden Horn and the Marmara Sea
stands the Topkapi Palace, the maze of buildings at the center of the
Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries.In these opulent
surroundings the sultans and their court lived and governed. A magnificent
wooded garden fills the outer, or first, court. On the right of the second
court, shaded by cypress and plane trees, stand the palace kitchens, now
galleries exhibiting the imperial collection of crystal, silver and
Chinese porcelain. To the left the Harem, the secluded quarters of the
wives, concubines and children of the sultan, charms visitors with the
echoes of the intrigue of centuries. Today the third court holds the Hall
of Audience, the Library of AhmetIII, an exhibition of imperial costumes
worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the treasury
and a priceless collection of miniatures from medieval manuscripts. In the
center of this innermost sanctuary, the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle
enshrines the relics of the Prophet Mohammed brought to Istanbul when the
Ottomans assumed the caliphate of Islam. (Open every day except Tuesday.)
Dolmabahce Palace
Built in the mid-19th
century by Sultan Abdul MecitI, the facade of
Dolmabahce Palace stretches
for 600 meters along the European shore of the
Bosphorus. The vast
reception salon, with 56 columns, and a huge crystal chandelier weighing
four and a half tons and lit by 750 lights never fails to astonish
visitors. At one time, birds from all over the world were kept in the Bird
Pavilion for the delight of the palace's privileged residents.
Ataturk,
founder of the Turkish Republic, died in
Dolmabahce on the 10th November,
1938.(Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
|
Interior of Dolmabahce Palace |
|
Gate Relief of Dolmabahce Palace |
In the 19th century
Sultan Abdul Aziz built the Beylerbeyi Palace, a fantasy in white marble
amid magnolia filled gardens, on the Bosphorus's Asian shore. Used as the
Sultan's summer residence and hunting lodge, it was offered to the most
distinguished foreign dignitaries during their visits. Empress Eugenie of
France was among its residents. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
In addition to the State Pavilions at the
Yildiz Palace, the compound
includes a series of pavilions and a mosque. It was completed by Abdul
Hamit II at the end of the 19th century. The Sale, the largest and most
exquisite of the buildings, reveals the luxury in which the sultans lived
and entertained. Set in a very large park of flowers, plants and trees,
gathered from every part of the world, the palace grounds offer one of the
most beautiful panoramic views of the
Bosphorus. Because of restoration
work, only the Sale and park are open to the public. (Open every day
except Monday and Thursday.)
The Goksu
Palace, also known as Kucuksu. takes its name from the fresh water
streams which debouch into the Bosphorus near the tiny palace. Built
by Abdul Mecit I in the middle of the 19th century, it was used as a
summer residence. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Originally built in the 18th century and later restored by various
sultans, the Aynali Kavak Summer Pavilion assumed its name, Mirrored
Poplar, when its famed mirrors were installed in 1718. A gift of the
Venetians, this palace on the Golden Horn is one of the most beautiful
examples of traditional Turkish architecture. (Open every day except
Monday and Thursday.) |
Aynali Kavak Pavillion
Interior, Goksu Pavillion |
The 19th century Ihlamur Pavilion is
named after the linden trees that grow in its gardens. Now in the heart of
metropolitan Istanbul, when it was originally constructed the pavilion lay
in the rolling countriside that surrounded the city. The Merasim Pavilion
was used for official ceremonies while the Maiyet Pavilion sheltered the
sultan's entourage and on occasions, his harem during their excursions out
of the palace confines. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday.)
Ihlamur pavillion
The Maslak
Pavilions on a shady green hill were conceived by Sultan Abdul Aziz as
hunting lodges and are superb examples of the late 19th century Ottoman
decorative style. The Limonluk Green House is particularly noteworthy. (Open
every day except Monday and Thursday.) |
